A drought hits the habitat of a semi-aquatic bird population. All ponds dry up, and fish populations decline.
There are two groups of birds in the population that differ in leg length and diet. Long-legged birds eat fish, while short-legged birds eat insects. The drought has little effect on insect populations.
What is the main selective pressure in this scenario?
(1 point)
drought
leg length
insect population
fish population
1 answer
The main selective pressure in this scenario is the decline in fish population due to the drought. This decline in fish availability would affect the long-legged birds that primarily rely on fish for food, putting pressure on them to adapt to alternative food sources or face reduced fitness.